Noisy tenant who
threatened neighbours
ordered to leave
by court reporter
A 27-year-old man who regularly played loud music, damaged council property and threatened his neighbours at Warrington has been ordered to quit his home by the end of the month.
The eviction follows a successful action by Golden Gates Housing – the borough council’s housing arm – at Warrington County Court.
It followed a string of complaints from residents in the Henshall Avenue area of Latchford.
The court heard the man regularly played loud music, damaged council property and harassed and threatened his neighbours.
Golden Gates Housing was granted a possession order against the which now means he must leave his home by January 28.
After the hearing, Peter Mercer, director of Golden Gates Housing, said: “Nobody wants to see anyone evicted from their home, but we will not tolerate anti-social and threatening behaviour from our tenants. We are trying to build strong and safe communities where people can live in peace of mind. We will continue to take a firm stance against this type of behaviour.”
Golden Gates Housing’s tenancy agreement contains an obligation on tenants or anyone living in or visiting the property not to commit any acts of physical, verbal or written abuse towards individuals or groups. It also contains an obligation not to do anything that causes or is likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to people in the local area.
At the hearing, Judge Dawson also ordered that an injunction granted against the same man in July 2004 to curtail his behaviour should remains in force until July. The order offers protection to those living in the area and, if breached, the tenant could be arrested.
Golden Gates Housing manages 9,500 homes on behalf of Warrington Borough Council.
Man in black robs
petrol station
by David Skentelbery
A MASKED raider dressed all in black got away with cash after threatening staff at a petrol filling station near Warrington.
The robbery was at the Park View Filling Station at Agden Brow, Lymm.
Police said the offender entered the filling station at around 7pm, brandishing a large knife and demanded cash.
The terrified assistant handed over money from the till and the offender left, going towards Warrington.
The assistant was not hurt but was badly shocked.
Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious around the time of the offence, or anyone with any information about the offence, to contact DC Iain Forbes on 01244 613657.
87 netted in police
purge on drink drivers
by Terry Johnson
POLICE in Warrington who pounced on drink-drive motorists during the pre-Christmas-New Year period are to haul 87 errant drivers before the courts.
Traffic officers sprang their breath-testing shock four weeks in advance of the normal festive campaign.
More drivers than ever fell into the roadside traps.
But Warrington traffic sergeant, Mike Jones, said he was “disappointed” about the surging figures.
“Despite all the publicity and our warnings about the devastating consequences of drink-driving, a large number of people are still choosing to ignore the law and drive under the influence of alcohol”, he declared.
Of 941 people breath-tested during the two-month Warrington campaign, 87 provided a positive test or refused to take the breathalyser and were arrested.
Council appoints two
key directors
by staff reporter
TWO key appointments have been made as part of a major Town Hall management shake-up at Warrington.
The borough council restructure, set to come into force in April, forms part of a cross-council drive to improve the way the authority is run, managed and works in partnership with other community organisations.
Following a vigorous recruitment and selection process, Yvonne Bottomley will be appointed as strategic director (corporate) and Helen Sumner will become strategic director (community) from April.
Four new departments will be formed as part of the instead of five previously – Corporate, Community, Children and Environment. The positions for the two other strategic director posts have already been filled.
Helen Sumner trained and worked as a social worker, specialising in working with adults, from the mid 1980’s. She was responsible for Adult and Older People’s Services in Cheshire and, following the move to unitary status in 1998, was appointed assistant director for Adult Services (Mental Health and Learning Disability) in Warrington.
Helen took up a joint post, working for the authority as well as being a director for the 5 Boroughs Partnership Trust in Warrington, in July 2002.
A chartered accountant by profession, Yvonne Bottomley also joined Warrington Borough Council seven years ago when the authority moved to unitary status. She was appointed as assistant director with responsibility for finance and IT following her role as chief accountant at Liverpool City Council.
Yvonne has been working as the acting strategic director for corporate services for the past 10 months and holds a number of board positions locally and regionally, including being a member/governor of Priestley College.
Planners to study rugby
club’s office scheme
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING bosses are to visit a rugby club which wants to convert its squash courts into offices.
Members of Warrington’s development control committee want to see the situation at Lymm Rugby Union Club before reaching a decision on the proposal.
Lymm Parish Council has objected to the scheme because, members claim, the site in Crouchley Lane is not a suitable location for a commercial property.
Planning officers are recommending the scheme be approved and suggest that the change of use will have no more impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the present situation.
In fact, they believe offices could cause less disturbance for nearby residents as they will result in less evening use of the clubhouse.
The squash courts were built to cater for the “squash boom” of the 1970s, but in recent years use has declined.
Club chairman Neil Kelly said: “Over recent years the decline in popularity of squash, coupled with an over-subscription of facilities in the area, has seen our membership decline to less than 40 in this section. While no firm decision has been reached the opportunity to convert the facility into offices creates an alternative, and hopefully higher, revenue stream. This would also meet a demand, created by the shortage of office space in Lymm, with adjoining car parking, of which the club has plenty.
“I would also hope that if the venture was successful the reliance on “disco-style” fund raising activities would also be reduced.
“Our continued commitment to the local community of enhancing lifestyles by encouraging sport and fun for all will continue, while making sure we remain a good neighbour.”
Nearby residents are not objecting to the change of use although they say the club should be required to repair a wall between their car park and Crouchley Lane before providing any additional car parking.
They also say the entrance to the site should be moved to the corner of Crouchley Lane to improve road safety.
The scheme will now be considered at the next meeting of the development control committee.
Free lunchtime
concerts
by staff reporter
A SERIES of free Saturday lunchtime concerts is to take place at Holy Trinity Church, Market Gate, Warrington over the next two months.
The recitals, which start at 12.30pm have been organised by Warrington Arts Council Initiative for the Development of Music.
They offer an opportunity for shoppers and other people in the town centre on a Saturday to take a 45-minute break and hear talented young musicians – some of them local.
The programme is:
January 15: Nicola Smedle
y (flute) and Celine Saout (harp); January 29: Jan Evans-Freeman (soprano) accompanied by Jonathan Ellis; February 5: Luke Whitehead (bassoon) accompanied by Russell Lomas; February 12: Qian Wu (violin) accompanied by Russell Lomas; February 19: Tim Smedley, Nia Lewis and Dan Edgar (baroque violins, cello and mouth organ).
A chance to
quiz the police
by Terry Johnson
POLICING issues across Warrington are to be discussed at a special Police Forum on Tuesday (January 11).
Townspeople are invited to the Town Hall forum, which starts at 7.00pm, to have their say on the police budget and a recent survey on public expectations from the police service.
Forum chairman, Peter Walker, said: “This is an opportunity to discuss policing, how Cheshire Constabulary will be funded in 2005-06 and to speak to Supt. Julie Clayton, who is in charge of policing in Warrington”.
Gale force winds
hit borough
by David Skentelbery
GALE force winds buffeted the Warrington area during the night and appeared to be increasing in force early this morning.
Police issued warnings to motorists not to travel unless absolutely necessary – particularly drivers of high-sided vehicles.
Fire Services reported numerous trees blown down across Cheshire. But there were no reports of any in the immediate Warrington area.
Weather forecasters predicted the winds would ease slightly around midday. But it would remain windy throughout the weekend and the winds could be accompanied by showers of rain, sleet or even snow.
